What is going on with social media?

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent 

Monday, March 19, 2012

What is going on in Social Media today? Who can keep up with the subject? Keeping up with Facebook timelines, Google +, and Twitter are the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Despite the daunting sight of the security questions and options, the lure can be too much to bear. The idea of connecting with associates, companies, and special deals produce an irresistible gravity.

The underlying implications bring a shift towards the need for fast internet. However, the need for fast internet is really becoming a need for fast mobile internet. This may require that a signal needs to have a boost in reception with a “Hot Spot” device. There are fundamental requirements for these to work properly, and yet they can produce a significant increase in the data capacity for phones nearby.

The convergence of social media and fast mobile internet are like chocolate and peanut butter. The combination is too good to be true. We live in the greatest time in history. Our opportunity to connect to information is unprecedented. Our ability to produce information is exponential. We are only limited by our human ability to filter the information for our best use.

As “Digital Immigrants”, those over 35 did not grow up in the digital revolution of cell phones. We remember the rotary phones and the need to stop at a pay phone to make a phone call. Our “Digital Natives” – those who think of an I-Pod as an extension of their ears, have had to discern how to decipher the pace of information intuitively. The pace of information, access to information, and need to filter information is here to stay, much like CD’s replaced the cassette, and I-pods replaced CD’s, and now, smart phones have replaced them all.

As business, it is essential to recognize the new environment. It is also, critical that we adapt our plans to include some of the basics of the new ecosystem. We need to adapt our websites to be first “Mobile Friendly”, “Ipad Friendly”, and finally desk top friendly. The number of mobile users will increase not only domestically, but globally. Business cannot ignore social media as “an option”. Credibility, validity, and visibility will depend on business savvy in mobile environment.

There are no guarantees that this is risk free. In addition, as with anything new or unfamiliar, good business practice demands a risk mitigation strategy. The new world of mobile, social and internet are no exception. Nonetheless, there is reward to those that address the risk with prudent judgment.

The exciting part of this fast paced shift is that opportunity is about learning, adapting, and profiting. This is what business is good at. The digital language can be learned and demystified for those digital immigrants. The digital natives need guidance and maturity.

Placed in this context, nothing has really changed. We are simply encountering change, a constant in business. Learn, adapt, and profit.

Jim Charapich, CEO/President

Culpeper County Chamber of Commerce

Leadership Development

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent
Monday, February 13, 2012

There is always a need for citizens to assume leadership roles in our community. The Culpeper Chamber of Commerce has developed a program that will introduce participants to the intricacies of our community and the region. The Lead Culpeper 2012 class is being developed. The group will be given access to leaders in business, government and education in order to gain a unique perspective on our community. Leadership is a skill that can be developed through practice, study, and insight.
If you have an interest in serving Culpeper, Lead Culpeper 2012 is your starting point.

The mission and goals of Lead Culpeper 2012 are: Identify potential leaders.
Provide participants a unique perspective on Culpeper County and the region.
Educate participants about the opportunities and challenges in Culpeper and the region.

Bring these potential leaders into contact with present leaders.
Develop a spirit of working together for the benefit of Culpeper and the region.
Establish an alumni association to continue leadership development in Culpeper and the region and to provide a forum for ongoing contact and discussion.

THE PARTICIPANTS Participants will include individuals with a sincere interest in serving the community and those who have demonstrated commitments to previous community activities. This includes individuals interested in seeking public office or having potential for advancement to leadership positions within their own organization. These individuals should show an occupational commitment to remain in the area and should represent a cross section of the community.

THE SELECTION A selection committee will review applications to select a cross section of interested, motivated, and concerned participants from all segments of the region.

TUITION The tuition for the entire program is $995 which includes course materials, lunches, snacks and limited transportation. Personal transportation to most sessions will be required.

LOCATION
The retreat sessions are mandatory and will be held at Verdun Adventure Bound in Rixeyville. The location of all other sessions will vary.

DATES Regular attendance and serious commitment are required for the entire program. One excused absence will be allowed. Attendance at the retreat sessions is mandatory.

Sessions will be held on the following dates:
April 26 & 27
September 19
May 10
October 9
June 14
November 14
July 11
December 5
August 8
January – General Assembly - Richmond

Registration Registration deadline is March 16, 2012. For an application or additional information contact the Culpeper County Chamber of Commerce office located at 109 South Commerce Street, Culpeper, VA 22701.
Phone: (540) 825-8628 email: jimc@culpeperchamber.com.

 

Developing Local Talent

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent
Monday, February 6, 2012

A few highlights from the Chamber. As I mentioned in an earlier column, meetings at the Chamber can be good, sometimes great, and other times amazing.

Our Major Industry Council met last week and discussed what was on their mind as business leaders in Culpeper. Most of them are globally positioned and yet very focused on helping the local community. The message of their efforts is often unseen and yet there is a special quality about our business community leaders. They are very generous in time and resources to help Culpeper shine as a community.

The group opened with the question, how was 2011? We went around the room and each leader indicated positive results for 2011. More importantly the outlook for 2012 is also positive. We hear reports of economic challenges and yet, it seems that Culpeper has chosen not to participate in the negative news. This is great news on the job front as well. There seems to be stability in jobs for the larger employers and possibly new jobs in 2012 and 2013.

On the subject of jobs, there was a discussion about the need for vocational training for jobs that may not necessarily need a full college education. There is an opportunity for high school students to work with Germanna Community College in vocational training aimed at working for local manufacturers in maintenance, machine operators, and other technical manufacturing job fields. These are usually well paid positions with large companies.

The subject of vocational education seems to be coming up more and more in my travels. There is a return to the thinking that career paths do not all need to lead to a traditional four year educational degree. Rather, there are tools today that help identify skills and talents early in order to reveal options that may be more interesting and productive for this workforce of tomorrow. Our business leaders are interested in seeing local talent develop and find jobs locally. Germanna is a critical educational bridge from local High School to local employment.

On another note, we have been planning the Professional Development Conference. The program is set for this Thursday February 9th from 8:00 am – 4:15 pm @ Germanna’s Daniel Technology Center. Our Non-Profits and Small Businesses are in for a great conference. The sessions and tracks are lead by local and regional subject matter experts on some very unique topics. I hope that you will join us to take advantage of CEU’s offered by Germanna as well. Go to www.ProfessionalDevelopmentConference.com to register.

Finally, there is a special FEMA Town Hall meeting hosted thru the Chamber of Commerce for Business and Community regarding Earth Quake Relief Resources. The program is free and will be held at the Depot at Noon today Monday February 6th. Please go to CulpeperChamber.com and click on FEMA for details and downloadable information.

Chamber News

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent
Monday, January 23, 2012

I could not be more excited about an upcoming event developed for Small Business and Non-Profits by the Culpeper Chamber. With the leadership of the Small Business Committee and the Non-Profit Council we will introduce our Second Annual Professional Development Conference held at Germanna on February 9th.  The program is all day, includes lunch, a powerful keynote speaker, and 25 sessions to choose from. What is the price? Read on….

The program is developed to strengthen business on several fronts. We have four session tracts including Marketing, Human Resources Management, Operations Management, and Board Development. This is of course a wide range of topics and yet all very interesting and relevant. As I have written in past columns – organizations are generally most vulnerable to what they do not know.

The professionals @ the Chamber of Commerce have identified areas that are unique to this year’s business environment. I use the term unique because the sessions offer rare access to interesting topics and great speakers. Here are the sessions as currently arranged.  

8:00 Registration Opens

9-10:15 am: Session I 1) Employment Basics - Practices Every Employer Must Use
2) Tax Compliance Small Business & Non-Profits (990's)
3) Building and Leveraging Email Database – Constant Contact
4) Grant Writing
5) Disability Center - ADA Compliance for Business & Office
6) Roberts Rules for Organization Boards

10:30 - 11:45 am: Session II 1) Lessons from Penn State - Recruiting, Retaining, and    Terminating Employees/Volunteers
2) Google Apps for the office
3) Mailings & List Management
4) Grant Writing - Foundation Center
5) Dispute Resolution
6) Board / CEO Relationship

12:00 – 1:00 Lunch with Keynote -  The Performance Group, Inc
Pushing the Right Buttons, Keys to Inspiring Your Team

1:00—1:30: 2012 EXPO

1:30—2:45 pm Session III 1) Dispute Resolution Center
2) Quick Books - Tips, Short Cuts, and Reports
3) Social Media
4) Foundation Center Online Directory
5) Microsoft Cloud for Non-Profits and Small Business
6) Fiduciary Duties of Non-Profit Boards

3:00 - 4:15 pm Session IV 1) Alcoholic Beverage Control Laws for Events
2)

Fundraising for Board Members - Can it be Easy!
3) Employee Performance Tracking
4) Building and Leveraging Email Database – Constant Contact
5) Financial Tracking Made Easy - Dashboards
6) Customer Service
7) Myers-Briggs

Go to ProfessionalDevelopmentConference.com or CulpeperChamber.com for more details. Register today for early pricing.

Navigating Social Media

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent
Monday, January 16, 2012

Normally a Chamber of Commerce meeting is interesting, sometimes very interesting, and occasionally they are inspired. The first Social Media Mastermind Group met last Monday morning at the Depot. 
With a fresh pot of coffee and an open slate of discussion, we did not waste anytime diving into the reaches of social media. We navigated thru Facebook, Goggle Blogs, Email, Foursquare, Yelp, and a few others that are outliers. Within each of these, there were basic and advanced revelations for everyone. Whether you were a novice or an experienced Social Media Pro, there were new ideas in the constant stream of discussion.

So what is a “Mastermind Group"? The term is common in cyber circles. In fact, the term mastermind may apply to almost any area of interest. The concept is for a group of like minded talent to exchange ideas about a subject with the intent to sharpen everyone’s knowledge.

The rate of change in social media coupled with its exponential growth has continued implications for business. As a business community we are faced with decisions everyday in applying our time productively. Social media can consume time and leave you at the end of the day with more questions than answers. And yet, we cannot ignore the need for education in determining the strategic social media direction that is best for your business.

To further complicate the issue, especially for Digital Immigrants (those that did not grow up with computers), we are accelerating toward the mobile environment. Consumers and businesses alike are leveraging their mobile devices (now including tablets like the Ipad) for the best value in their immediate location. Where are the best places to eat, shop, and play…. Now!!! We are moving from waiting to have a celebrity endorse products to tuning into our friends online for immediate recommendations.

As a rural business community, we are attracting visitors from the urban areas that have adopted the mobile technologies in mass. They expect our community to be mass communication savvy. Granted there is an appeal of the rural setting and preserving this is essential. That does not conflict with the need to be digitally dynamic. In fact, it is my view that as we are collectively agile in digital media, the brighter our digital light shines for business opportunity.

Our “Wireless Ecosystem” is evolving and these are enterprising times. There is a great deal of opportunity. We are in a place and time to move our community forward thru digital intelligence.
We invite you to join the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce and take advantage of the next Social Media Mastermind Group meet up on Monday, February 13th 8:30 AM @ the Depot.

REGISTER and let us know you are coming by CLICKING HERE

What is on the Chamber radar for 2012

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent
Monday, January 9, 2012

January 9th - 8:30 AM - 9:30 AM @ The Depot - The Chamber Small Business Committee introduces a new Social Media Mastermind Group - Join us for an open discussion on the latest in social media. The group is open to Chamber Members and is led by Beverly Herdman of Wine Trail Homes. We plan to meet on the second Monday of each month - same time and place. No registration required.

January 18th - 8:00 AM @ Peppers Grill - The Marketing Committee and the Membership Committee introduce our Monthly Networking Breakfast. Registration is required.

January 25th - Chamber Day at the Capitol - Join Chambers from across the Commonwealth to meet with our General Assembly representatives and hear from our leaders in Richmond. Registration required.

January 25th – Chamber Members Mixer and Ribbon Cutting - New Verizon Store - 5 PM Ribbon Cutting - 5:30 Mixer (members only).

January 28th - Drop it! The 2012 Healthy Living & Weight Loss Challenge. Culpeper Regional Health System and Germanna Community College invite you to join the FREE Challenge to improve your health and the overall health of our community. Kick-Off Health Fair: Saturday, January 28 from 10 am - 4 pm

February 1st - E Squared Kick Off - 9:45 - 11:00 AM @ Germanna. CCHS and EVHS students meet with their team for the first time and begin Entreprenurial project planning. The program culminates on May 10th with winners being selected for scholarship awards. Go to EsquaredCulpeper.com for full timeline and program descriptions.

February 9th - The Small Business Committee and Non-Profit Council present - The Second

Annual "Professional Development Conference and Expo for Small Business and Non-Profits" - Join other professionals to learn the latest in Marketing & Social Media, Business Operations, Board Development, and Human Resources. Details and registration at www.ProfessionalDevelopmentConference.com.

Lead Culpeper 2012 - Leadership Development beginning in April. Watch for details.

2012 Chamber Community Guide - Highlight Your Business - Contact The Culpeper Star Exponent.

2012 Annual Sponsorship Programs - Get in early for the best value. Go to CulpeperChamber.com to see why 26 businesses have signed up so far. Contact Martha at the Chamber office for more details.

Chamber Website Change - The new Website address is CulpeperChamber.com . Simple is good and so we shifted our hosting to a new domain name, formerly CulpeperVaChamber - Now CulpeperChamber. Our Email addresses have changed to reflect the new web address.

Free Membership - Virginia Chamber of Commerce - You may qualify for free membership in the Virginia Chamber of Commerce as a result of your membership in the Culpeper Chamber of Commerce. This is an opt in program for Small Business w/ 10 or fewer employees. Contact the Culpeper Chamber office for details if you would like to opt in and begin gaining the benefits of membership in Virginia Chamber of Commerce Small Business Alliance.

Join us to get involved today. 

Helping the homeless

Published in the Culpeper Star Exponent
Monday, December 19, 2011

The article in the Star exponent on Friday about the homeless led me to think about solutions. I read with great sadness that there would be a mom with 3 children sleeping in her vehicle with no heat.  I did some quick research with the help of the Small Business Committee of the Chamber of Commerce. Here are a few opportunities to help:

“In this season of giving and tax planning, these two opportunities can combine to leverage our support for the organizations that support the people most in need.  The Virginia Department of Social Services has a Neighborhood Assistance Program (NAP) that emphasizes partnerships between the private and public sector to assist the economically deprived.  This program could multiply your contribution up to three times.  A simple example would be that one donates $1,000 to a NAP eligible organization.  You will receive a federal charitable deduction for the $1,000 resulting in a $300 tax benefit, depending on your effective tax rates.  Virginia will provide you with $400 credit (40% of the donation) toward your tax.  That potentially results in a $1,000 contribution with a net out-of-pocket investment of $300”, according to Chris Pearson, CPA at Yount, Hyde & Barbour , PC.  

Culpeper Community Development Corporation, run by Sam Aiken, a homeless shelter in Culpeper is listed in the NAP program of approved organizations. The program details can be found at the following state website: http://www.dss.virginia.gov/community/nap.cgi”. Giving to the CCDC is an easy way to make a great impact this holiday season.

Later, Tripp Butler sent Jack Garber, Director of the Piedmont United Way to talk with me about the issue. Jack described the network of volunteer support that is in place in the community. The Culpeper Ministerial Association, Food Closet, Culpeper Department of Human Services, Salvation Army, Piedmont United Way, and many other partners work together to provide shelter to the homeless from the Sunday after Thanksgiving to the first Sunday in April.

The Culpeper Homeless Consortium (my name for the group) has found shelter for up to 28 per night with the capacity for a few more. They provide food and a warm place to sleep while being managed by a coordinated group of volunteers. Amazingly, the consortium has also opened it arms to those in Orange that need shelter as a result of the closing of the Orange homeless shelter. 

An important part of the consortium is the Piedmont United Way. The PUW provides service in coordinating the needs among Non-Profits, Government Agencies, and Business to eliminate redundancy while optimizing the use of funds. They are also a very good resource to help ensure that the needs are valid. The Piedmont United Way is a critical part of keeping our safety net-work strong.

If you would like to donate, volunteer to help, or even provide a meal, contact the Piedmont United Way at 540-825-7569. In addition, an easy phone number to remember if you know of someone in need (non emergency) is “211” which reaches a phone center and coordinates services throughout Virginia.

Jim Charapich CEO/President
Culpeper County Chamber of Commerce